Part 30 (1/2)

He went to meet her. As he neared her, she stopped, waiting for him. Her face looked tense; the lines around her mouth suddenly prominent. ”Rhani-ka,” he said, ”why didn't you wait for me?”

She did not answer.

”What's wrong?” he asked, alarmed.

She sighed, and put her arm through his. ”I wanted to talk to Tuli,” she said. ”So I went to the shop. When I got there -- ” She paused. ”I've known Tuli for eight years. I thought we were friends. I went in. She was behind the counter, waiting on a customer. I said her name. She called me Domna Rhani. She wouldn't smile at me. I saw a sheet of paper on the wall and went to read it. It said that anyone wis.h.i.+ng to sign the pet.i.tion calling for a referendum on the maintenance of slavery in Sardonyx Sector should see the proprietor of the store.”

Dana did not know what to say. As noncommittally as possible, he said, ”You were surprised?”

Rhani's normally husky voice was rough with pain. ”I just wanted to talk.”

”Did you expect an ex-slave to be in favor of slavery?” Her fingers bit into his arm. ”I'm not that much of a fool! But she need not have called me Domna Rhani. And I did think she might have the grace to remain publicly neutral.”

Dana said, ”I'm sorry you're upset.”

”I'm not upset, I'm angry! At myself.” With a choppy gesture, she thrust her sunshades to the crown of her head. ”I have feared what this referendum's outcome might do to the economy of this planet, if A-Rae's position won it. Now I fear that, whichever side wins or loses, the feelings released by the issue will break Chabad apart. I should have foreseen it.”

She was, Dana realized, quite serious. ”Rhani,” he said, ”you aren't responsible for the destiny of an entire planet.”

The cacophony and color of the market square swirled around them like storm winds around the eye. Rhani gazed at him. She was only a little shorter than he.... She was wearing blue pants and a blue s.h.i.+rt. The s.h.i.+rt had a red dragon embroidered on its back. The gold pendant glinted in the soft hollow of her throat. She said, ”You are wrong. I am.”

They began to walk then, threading slowly through the clumps of tourists.

That's crazy, Dana thought. No one runs a planet; that's fantasy.

But it was not fantasy, he thought. This woman strolling at his side had the power to make decisions which affected the politics and the economy of this and four other worlds.

A series of shouts from behind them made them both turn. Rhani started to walk toward the noise. Dana caught her arm, remembering his responsibility as bodyguard. ”Don't,” he said, ”it isn't safe.”

”Move aside, please!” came an amplified shout. Three Abanat police officers sliced briskly through the crowd. Two of them were carrying Federation- issue stunners.

Like members of a herd, the tourists began to bunch toward the shouting.

”Come on, let's get out of here,” Dana said. He held Rhani's arm. Shopkeepers came from their doorways to gaze into the square, and a few of them looked curiously at the two people moving steadily away from the confrontation. Dana watched, but he could not see anyone who stared for very long.

”This way,” Rhani said, changing direction. Dana followed automatically.

Soon they had reached the Boulevard, and, crossing it, were heading toward Founders' Green.

The woman at the gate smiled and bowed and pa.s.sed them in beneath the cool, green trees. ”Why do you always walk around the city?” Dana asked.

Rhani chuckled. ”It's the only exercise I get,” she said. She grinned.

”Besides, the movalongs are for tourists.”

They stopped beside the fountain to watch the water cascade from rock to artistically placed rock. ”I love waterfalls,” Rhani said.

Dana said, ”There are worlds with more waterfalls than Chabad has rocks.”

She shook her head. ”I doubt that,” she said. Then the left corner of her mouth turned up in amus.e.m.e.nt. ”I told a lie,” she murmured, putting her hand on Dana's arm.

”What?” he said.

Her amus.e.m.e.nt broadened. ”Walking is not my only exercise.”

The spray from the fall had left a veil of drops against her hair; they looked like sequins in the trees' concealing shade. Dana glanced toward the Yago house....”No one can see us,” Rhani said. She reached for him.

But Dana held her off. ”Rhani-ka, it's not safe,” he said. ”We may be being watched. The Hype cops -- ”

Rhani scowled. ”d.a.m.n,” she said softly. ”I was trying to forget about them.”

As they walked from beneath the trees, Rhani said, ”How did your errand go?”

Dana tensed. ”I've made a step toward contact,” he said. ”What's your next step?”

”I must go back tomorrow night.”

”You are being very vague,” she said. They walked into sunlight, and the sweat jumped on Dana's arms and neck. ”I presume you mean to be.”

He said, ”I would prefer to be, yes.”

She turned to face him. Pus.h.i.+ng back her cloud of hair with both hands, she said, ”I dislike being ignorant, Dana.” Behind her, the tines of the iron fence gleamed darkly in the stark Chabadese light.

Dana said, ”Rhani, if I tell you what I do and who I see, I break a confidence. Even more than that -- I break Hyper tradition. I promised you Loras U-Ellen. Will you trust me to keep that promise?”

She did not like being cornered; he could see it in her face. She c.o.c.ked her head to one side. ”How long till I have him?”

”I don't know,” he said. Sweet mother, he thought, she had better trust me. If she doesn't, I shall have to tell her a pack of lies.

He did not want to lie to a Yago.

She nodded. ”All right. I will trust you.”

”Thank you,” he said.

She said, ”Don't be a fool, Starcaptain. What should I do, give you to Zed? Let him discover that we have been lovers?”

He said grimly, ”Zed would never hurt you.”

”I know that,” she said. Her shoes rapped crisply on the path. Ahead of them sat the second gate, and, looming over it, the facade with the Yago crest.

”Leave it, Dana. Let's not go over it again.” They walked through the gate. ”Oh, no!” Her voice rose in dismay. Dana looked past her. PINsheeters with cameras and recording equipment swarmed over the steps of the house.

There was no way to go around, under, or over them, Dana judged. He glanced at Rhani. ”Well, Domna?” he said.

The muscles of her face tightened. Then, to his surprise and admiration, she smiled, and walked forward.

The PINsheeters saw her. Courtesy, and their knowledge of her status, restrained them for brief moments. Then they scrambled toward her. Dana stepped in front of her, putting himself between her and the rush -- ”No!” she said. He stepped back, jolted.

She pointed. ”You, you, you, you, and you,” she said. ”Get me to the house with as little time lost as you can manage and you may have an interview with me indoors.”